Bornholm FLAG | FARNET

Official name:

LAG Bornholm

Country:

Denmark

Region:

Capital Region

Code:

DK210

Programming period:

2007-2013

2014-2020

Area

The FLAG area covers the entire island of Bornholm, located in the Baltic sea to the east of the rest of Denmark and to the south of Sweden. The main industries on the island include fishing, dairy farming, and during the summer, tourism. The island’s heritage is characterised by crafts such as glass production and pottery, and a particularly large amount of round churches.

Bornholm has a long fishing tradition as indicated by the 27 harbours dotted across the coastline. The two most important harbours in terms of fisheries are Rønne and Nexø.

An ageing population, economic output below the national average, and limited possibilities for higher education have resulted in high net outward migration, leading to population decline.

The island's commercial fishing industry suffers from heavy competition from cheaper imported fish products, while locally caught fish is transported from the island before being processed. Local smokehouses and local restaurants mainly use fish products imported from elsewhere (e.g. Iceland, Norway, the West coast of Denmark). Low fish stocks in the Baltic, and the privatization of the fish quotas in Denmark make it extremely difficult for small scale fisheries to survive. This is reflected in the number of fishing boats registered on the island which has come from a few hundred small vessels in the nineties to just 68 boats in January 2016.

Type of area:

Coastal
Island

Sea Basins:

Baltic Sea

Protected areas:

Bornholm has two small Natura 2000 sites along the coast of Sandvig (north) and Rønne (west) and a large Natura 2000 site in the center of the island.

Population

39 756

Surface area (km²)

589

Population density

Total employment in fisheries

414

Fishing:

110

Aquaculture:

Processing:

300

Women employment in fisheries:

225

FLAG strategy

The FLAG strategy aims to respond to the area’s social and economic challenges, focusing on job creation in the following way:

Adding value to fish/diversification activities for fishermen: increasing the value of the locally caught fish, either via processing or via direct sales to end consumers;
Experience economy: the island has potential for increasing tourism activities linked to angling tourism and to other outdoor activities specifically linked to the marine environment.

Themes:

Objective:

Adding value, creating jobs, and promoting innovation along the fisheries chain

Priority:

Supporting diversification

Enhancing and capitalising on the environmental assets

Promoting social wellbeing and cultural heritage

Strengthening the role of fisheries communities in local development

Funding

Total public budget allocated to the FLAG for 2014-2020:

2 400 000

EMFF:

1 560 000
MS co-financing:

840 000
Sources of co-funding:

National
Funds:

EAFRD

Project examples

Bornholm Offshore Wind: the Baltic Sea has potential for developing wind energy plants, and Bornholm’s enterprises have possibilities to tap into this new sector;
Bornholm Fish Hatcheries: this project has potential to expand and become an international partner in northern Europe for hatching fish eggs, breeding fish, testing various types of feed and vaccines, etc. Furthermore, it has potential to become an innovative knowledge share centre for quality, sustainability, animal welfare, and environment;
Bornholm Sea Safari: supporting interaction between several partners (e.g. tourism, nature, environment, restaurants) to provide tourist activities for experiencing Bornholm’s coast and sea. This will offer an opportunity to learn about Bornholm nature, environment, climate, history, geology and local food traditions.

Good Practice

Energy Island: Networking for local economic impact

Calls for proposals

The Bornholm FLAG publishes a call for projects three times a year. These calls are open to all themes.

Website:

www.lag-bornholm.dk

Expertise & cooperation

The Bornholm FLAG has cooperated with the South-east Skåne LEADER LAG (including the Swedish municipality Simrishamn, close to the FLAG area). Activities included the promotion of fish from sustainable fishing activities in touristic areas.

The Bornholm FLAG would like to expand its cooperation activities with areas in North-eastern Skåne (with the Swedish LEADER LAG) and North Sealand (Danish Gribskov FLAG), around the theme of adding value based on local processing of local catches.

Budget envisaged for cooperation:

100000.00

Links with LEADER or other CLLD groups

Bornholm is a joint LAG-FLAG, sharing a legal structure and board members. The entire island is covered by the EAFRD and the EMFF.

The strategies are integrated within the same document, but with distinct analyses, objectives etc. with respect to EAFRD and EMFF.

Partnership

Accountable body:

LAG Bornholm

Members of the partnership:

The Bornholm FLAG is a legal and independent organisation governed by a general assembly.

The Bornholm FLAG is organised as an association with free membership, open to all the residents on the island.

Members are individuals, people coming from NGO’s and private businesses. 12 members of the board are elected at the yearly general assembly. Three members of the board are appointed by the public municipality of Bornholm.

Number of individuals/organisations in partnership/general assembly:

100

% of fisheries actors:

26%

% of other (non-fisheries) private / NGO sector actors:

50%

% of environmental actors:

24%

Number of individuals on main decision-making body/board:

% of public actors:

20%

Number of contracted staff in FLAG: